Early tendon-bone healing in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

本研究的目的是验证局部应用辛伐他汀促进前交叉韧带重建后肌腱-骨愈合的假说。兔采用肌腱移植重建前交叉韧带，在其骨隧道内植入辛伐他汀结合明胶水凝胶或单独植入明胶水凝胶。第2周的组织学和放射学分析显示，辛伐他汀组肌腱-骨愈合较早，血管生成和成骨能力增强。第二周的生物力学测试也显示辛伐他汀治疗组的最终失效负荷显著增加。本研究提示，在兔前交叉韧带重建模型中，局部应用小剂量辛伐他汀结合明胶水凝胶早期通过促进血管生成和成骨而促进腱-骨愈合，但不影响重建后的长期生物力学性能。

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that enhanced angiogenesis and osteogenesis by locally applied simvastatin promotes tendon-bone healing after ACL reconstruction. Rabbits received ACL reconstruction with hamstring tendon graft and were implanted with either simvastatin-conjugated gelatin hydrogel or gelatin hydrogel alone in their bone tunnels. Histological and radiological analysis at week 2 demonstrated early tendon-bone healing with enhanced angiogenesis and osteogenesis in the simvastatin-treated group. Biomechanical testing at week 2 also demonstrated a significant increase in ultimate failure load in the simvastatin-treated group. This study suggested that local administration of low-dose simvastatin-conjugated gelatin hydrogel promotes the tendon-bone healing via its effect on both angiogenesis and osteogenesis at an early phase in a rabbit model, but does not affect biomechanical property in long-term after ACL reconstruction.